Dr. Paola Lake, Ph.D., R. Psych. (#1699)

As a clinical and rehabilitation psychologist, I enjoy working with adolescents, individuals, and couples. I have an interest in helping people create positive changes in their lives by overcoming emotional blocks and developing strategies and tools that enhance emotional well-being and the quality of interpersonal relationships.

With over 17 years experience in the mental health field, my background includes working with accident victims, psychiatric clients, individuals with adjustment issues and survivors of abuse and trauma. I enjoy helping couples in conflict and individuals with problems such as eating disorders, unfinished business related to the past, grief, low self-esteem, interpersonal problems, fears and anxieties.

I have had the opportunity to work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, community clinics, physical rehabilitation centres, universities, and private practice. I have advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for individuals and couples. I provide interventions such as Hypnosis and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), an approach that is very effective in working with trauma and a variety of disruptive emotions such as depression and anxiety. Other therapeutic approaches I adopt to help with recovery include cognitive-behavioural, narrative, solution-focused, Gestalt, and psychodynamic.

In my practice I have found it to be very important to work collaboratively with my clients and to help them draw from personal strengths and resources to enhance personal self-leadership and to facilitate enduring change. I tailor my approaches to each individual’s need and goals.

As well as my work in private practice, I am a monthly guest on “Living for the Health of It,” a radio show on CHLY, 101.7 fm, hosted by Pam Edgar. This show airs every second Tuesday of the month. In the past, I hosted a weekly radio show, the Dr. Lake Show, on CHLY, 101.7 fm www.chly.ca, community radio for Nanaimo every week for a period of 6 years. This show covered a variety of topics related to enhancing well-being and building resources to enhance resilience.